DURHAM, N.C. – Duke women’s lacrosse head coach Kerstin Kimel has announced the program’s schedule for the 2014 campaign, which features contests against 10 2013 NCAA Tournament teams, including all four of last year’s national semifinalists. The challenging slate is also highlighted by inaugural ACC matchups with Notre Dame and Syracuse.

Kimel’s squad will host nine games at Koskinen Stadium in 2014, including tilts against conference opponents Maryland, Virginia and Boston College, as well as future ACC member Louisville. Duke will also hit the road for seven road contests, with trips to the Carrier Dome at Syracuse and South Bend to face the Fighting Irish. The 2014 ACC Tournament will be played at Boston College’s Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass., Apr. 24-27.

“Our 2014 schedule is designed to both challenge us and allow us to grow as a team over the course of the season,” Kimel said. “We are excited to face the usual demanding slate of ACC opponents. Likewise, we look forward to an early season game against future ACC opponent Louisville, facing Syracuse in the Carrier Dome in March and renewing our rivalry with Notre Dame, a program we played from 1998-2008.”

After opening the spring with the annual South of the Border Tournament Feb. 2, the Blue Devils kick off the 2014 campaign at home with the program’s first contests against Elon Feb. 7 and Louisville Feb. 9. The team travels to Virginia the following weekend to face Atlantic 10 foe Richmond and William & Mary of the CAA and then returns to Durham for a three-game homestand.

Duke will welcome two of last year’s national semifinalists to Koskinen March 1 and March 5 in Northwestern and Maryland. The Blue Devils will be looking to topple the Wildcats for the first time since 2006, while Duke and the Terrapins will square off for the 11th time in the past six seasons and the 27th time overall.

Georgetown visits Durham for a mid-week matchup March 5 following a thrilling one-goal game between the two teams last spring in Washington, D.C. The Blue Devils won that contest, 11-10, and lead the all-time series by a 14-7 margin.

Kimel’s squad visits Virginia Tech March 9 before hosting non-conference squads Davidson March 13 and Jacksonville March 16. Duke earned a 10-7 victory against the Dolphins in the inaugural meeting between the two squads last March in Jacksonville. The Blue Devils will also face conference opponent Virginia in Koskinen Stadium March 22 after splitting a pair of meetings last season.

Duke will make its first trip to the Carrier Dome March 29 and then face off against High Point for just the second time in program history Apr. 2. The Blue Devils’ senior class will be honored at the regular season home finale against Boston College Apr. 5. The team will close the regular season with ACC contests at Notre Dame Apr. 11 and at North Carolina's Kenan Stadium in nearby Chapel Hill Apr. 16.

The quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament are slated for Apr. 24 in Chestnut Hill, followed by the semifinals Apr. 25 and the championship game Apr. 27.

“Our goal is to be the very best and our conference schedule coupled with traditional non-conference rivals such as Georgetown and Northwestern have us playing against the top teams week in and week out,” Kimel said. “This will be excellent preparation and have us ready to compete for both an ACC and national championship come April and May.”

The Blue Devils will be in pursuit of the program’s 17th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014 after reaching the national quarterfinals a season ago. Duke returns 22 letterwinners from last year’s 14-6 team, which concluded the spring ranked eighth in the nation.